Stigmatomma
is an ancient group of predaceous ants found worldwide, sometimes called "dracula ants" for the adults' habit of feeding on larval hemolymph. These subterranean ants have elongate mandibles, poor vision, and a characteristic broad posterior attachment of the petiole. Many species are specialist predators of centipedes.
Adult Stigmatomma cannot eat solid food and are incapable of the trophallaxis behavior that allows most other ant species to share food among nestmates. Instead, they have developed a novel way to feed themselves: consuming the hemolymph of nestmate larvae. Ants puncture vulnerable spots in the larval skin- as the ant in the center demonstrates- and lap up the drops of hemolymph. (Stigmatomma oregonensis)
Quincy, California, USA
Adult Stigmatomma cannot eat solid food and are incapable of the trophallaxis behavior that allows most other ant species to share food among nestmates. Instead, they have developed a novel way to feed themselves: consuming the hemolymph of nestmate larvae. Ants puncture vulnerable spots in the larval skin- as the ant in the center demonstrates- and lap up the drops of hemolymph. (Stigmatomma oregonensis)
Quincy, California, USA
Canon EOS D60 |
Original size: 2601x1836 |
Current: 800x565 |
